In What Ways Does David’s Response Differ from Typical Ancient Near Eastern Kings? The story of King David presents a striking contrast to the behavior typically expected from rulers in the Ancient Near East. In many ancient kingdoms, power was maintained through ruthless strategies such as eliminating rivals, rewarding assassins,…
Why Does David Publicly Distance Himself from Abner’s Murder? The story of Abner’s murder in the biblical narrative is one of the most dramatic political and moral moments in the early reign of King David. Recorded in the Second Book of Samuel, the event occurs during a fragile period when…
Why Does David Receive Abner Peacefully? The account of David receiving Abner peacefully is recorded in 2 Samuel 3:12–21. At first glance, this meeting might seem politically surprising. Abner had long supported the house of Saul and had installed Ish-bosheth as king in opposition to David. Yet when Abner approaches…